VII. Лихоимство (любостяжание)

“Take heed, beware of covetousness” (covetousness), says Christ (Luke 12:15). “Covetousness (covetousness) is idolatry” (Col. 3:5). The covetous are robbers who sit along the roads, stealing the things of those passing by, and in their houses, as in underground caves, they hide the property of others (Homily 1 about Lazarus). Wealth is not a bad thing, but the love of money is a bad thing. A bad thing is covetousness. It is one thing to be covetous, and another to be rich: a covetous person is not rich, a covetous person lacks much, and someone who lacks much can never be rich; the covetous man is a guardian of money, not a master, a slave, not an owner; rather, he can give another part of his flesh than his hidden silver (Conversation 2 to the people of Antioch). Covetousness is insatiable drunkenness, for just as drunkards drink more wine, the more thirst they feel, so covetous people, the more they increase their wealth, the more they inflame their love of money (Conversation 22 on the Book of Genesis). The riches collected from covetous people often go to their enemies, and they will give an answer for this and accept punishment. What great madness is it to work for the benefit of others and for the sake of one’s own harm! (Talk 48 on Genesis). Those who are covetous are like children: just as children without fear grab harmful fire with their hands, and are horrified by empty masks, so the covetous fear poverty, which is not only not terrible, but also serves as a basis for security, and do not fear the unrighteous acquisition of wealth, which is worse than any fire (Conversation on Psalm 9). Covetous people and predators cannot find peace and security anywhere, because they always have warfare and enemies within them (Conversation on Psalm 4). Covetous people receive their punishments everywhere: in life, in death and after death (Conversation on Psalm 48). Nothing enslaves people to the devil more than insatiable covetousness and love of money (Conversation 13 on the Evangelist Matthew). Just as the sea can never be without waves, so the heart of a money-loving person cannot be without sorrow, care, fear and rebellion (Conversation 13 on the Evangelist Matthew). For a covetous man, wealth is more harmful than a sword for a fool (Conversation 52 on the Evangelist Matthew). The covetous man, like hell, wants to devour everyone, devour everything; he is the common enemy of the entire human race (Conversation 28 on the Evangelist Matthew). A covetous man does not distinguish friend from foe (Conversation 5 on the Evangelist John). There is nothing more wicked than the covetous, because he sells his soul (Conversation 29 on the Acts of the Apostles). The love of money produces all the troubles in the world: it stains the sea with blood and often unrighteously bloodies the swords of judges; it arms robbers, it makes murderers of fathers and mothers (Conversation 23 on 1 Corinthians). The covetous and predators are worse than beasts, since the beasts, having had their fill, stop stealing, but the covetous can never be satisfied (Conversation 9 on 1 Corinthians). The covetous man lives a poorer life than Cain, always being in fear and sadness: in fear because of what he has, and in sadness because of what he does not yet have (Conversation 31 on 1 Corinthians). The covetous man, collecting treasures, prepares food for the undying worm (Conversation 24 on the Epistle to the Ephesians). A covetous passion is the cause of many and serious sins. If a covetous person is a judge or a clerk, he breaks his oath and oath. And this makes the innocent guilty, but the guilty remain innocent. Those who are good and left without satisfaction will be in trouble; and the evil ones, without punishment, will become more ferocious and rush towards insults, which is why weeping, tears, incessant sobs of poor people and all discord in the fatherland. If the commander is covetous, then he also breaks his oath, betrays his fatherland and betrays his fatherland. If he is a landowner, then he burdens the peasants with unbearable taxes. If a merchant, he deceives about the goods, and so on. And as you can see, no one else harms the fatherland as much as the covetous; He is hated by both God and man. That is why in the holy word this passion is called “idolatry,” for the covetous person reveres silver as an idol. A guide to avoiding this First. Remember that everything in the world will remain collected, and man himself will depart naked from this world. Second. Believe in God's Providence, which leaves no one. Third. God's judgment is terrible and inevitable on the greedy. You might be interested in: